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Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022 (March 1 Republican primary)
- Primary date: March 1
- Mail-in registration deadline: Jan. 31
- Online reg. deadline: N/A
- In-person reg. deadline: Jan. 31
- Early voting starts: Feb. 14
- Early voting ends: Feb. 25
- Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Absentee/mail-in deadline: March 1
2026 →
← 2018
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| Texas Commissioner of Agriculture |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: December 13, 2021 |
| Primary: March 1, 2022 Primary runoff: May 24, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent(s): Sid Miller (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Texas |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2022 Impact of term limits in 2022 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022 |
| Texas executive elections |
| Governor Lieutenant Governor |
Incumbent Sid Miller defeated Carey Counsil and James White in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 1, 2022. Miller received 59% of the vote, followed by White with 31% and Counsil with 10%.[1] If no candidate had received more than 50% of the vote, the top two candidates would have advanced to a primary runoff.
The Texas Commissioner of Agriculture is the state executive charged with overseeing the Texas Department of Agriculture. The department is responsible for promoting "production agriculture, consumer protection, economic development and healthy living."[2]
Miller was first elected agriculture commissioner in 2014 and was re-elected in 2018. He was formerly a member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing District 59 from 2001 to 2013. Former President Donald Trump (R) endorsed Miller on December 30, 2021, saying, "Commissioner Sid Miller is a terrific Agriculture Commissioner for the Great State of Texas! A farmer and champion rodeo rider, Sid was an early fighter for our America First agenda."[3] Miller said, "I'm a political maverick ... I’m the only statewide [official] that actually holds liberals accountable and the establishment Republicans accountable. ... No one else has political courage to do that."[4] According to The Dallas Morning News' Sami Sparber, Miller said he ran for re-election because there were "projects [he needed] to finish before [he moved] on."[5] The Texas Tribune's James Barragán wrote, "Miller said voters should reelect him because he has a track record of successfully running the agency."[4]
According to Barragán, Miller's Republican and Democratic challengers "[called] his ethics into question while linking him to the recent arrest of [longtime political consultant Todd Smith]."[4] Miller responded to criticism from his opponents: “We have the highest ethics of any elected official in the state. ... These guys are way behind. They're desperate, and desperate candidates do desperate things. ... They’re trying to confuse people with misinformation, paint me in a bad light. It’s not going to work. People know me. I’ve got a stellar record as your Ag Commissioner.”[6] For more information on the allegations against Smith, click here.
Counsil, an economics professor and rancher, said, "I think people are tired of the status quo and people are tired of the career politicians and people want fresh blood. People want people that are in the industry."[7] The editorial board of The Dallas Morning News and The Amarillo Pioneer's publisher’s committee endorsed Counsil in the Republican primary. The Dallas Morning News said, "Counsil is running on a platform of water rights. ... [He] has a thorough understanding of future markets and the forces shaping ag industries now. ... We give the nod to Counsil for his knowledge of the industry."[8] The Amarillo Pioneer said Counsil was "qualified and well-versed on the topics at hand at the agency enough today where he can be an effective Agriculture Commissioner from his first day in office."[9]
White, who at the time of the election had represented District 19 in the Texas House of Representatives for six terms, said he was a "proven conservative who will restore integrity to this crucial agency that oversees over $115 billion in annual economic impact to our state."[10] According to The Dallas Morning News, White "[ran] on a platform of organizational reform," and "promised to make the pricing process for permits and licenses 'methodological and transparent.'"[8] The editorial boards of the Houston Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News, and the Austin American-Statesman endorsed White in the Republican primary.[11][12][13] The Houston Chronicle said, "Texans deserve better than a commissioner who has put personal gain and cronyism far ahead of farmers and ranchers. ... White’s competence, government service, and emphasis on character make him the best choice for Republicans."[11] The San Antonio Express-News said White "would bring much-needed ethical and thoughtful leadership" to the department.[12]
Southern Methodist University political science professor Cal Jillson said, "Miller has the facility for getting himself in difficult situations, in terms of both politics and ethics. ... He’s the likely favorite, but he’s not invulnerable."[5]
Miller faced two challengers in the 2018 Republican primary and won the party's nomination by a margin of 33 percentage points.
Sid Miller (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.
This page focuses on the Texas Agriculture Commissioner Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022 (March 1 Democratic primary)
- Texas Agriculture Commissioner election, 2022
Candidates and election results
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Sid Miller defeated James White and Carey Counsil in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sid Miller  | 58.5 | 992,330 |
 | James White | 31.1 | 528,434 | |
 | Carey Counsil | 10.4 | 176,083 | |
| Total votes: 1,696,847 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I have served as Texas Commissioner of Agriculture since 2015. I have worked as a farmer, rancher, agricultural product retailer or wholesaler my entire career. As I have said before there is very little within agriculture that I have not raised or grown. During my six terms in the Texas House of Representatives, I served on the House Agriculture Committee, including a term as Chairman of that committee. My work over the last two years included keeping businesses open during the pandemic that were essential to the operation and production of agriculture and to our food supply. As Agriculture Commissioner, I have made it my mission to make efforts to open new market throughout the world to Texas agricultural products. Part of my mission in this office is to expand this industry to help create new businesses, new jobs and career in agriculture. As the elected leader responsible for the school breakfast and lunch programs in our public schools, we serve over 5 million meals each school day. My initiative to bring fresh local farm products into our school meals has allowed local agriculture to have a direct impact on the lives of local school children with fresh, healthy local produce."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Brenham ISD Board of Trustees (two terms, dates unknown)
Biography: Counsil earned a B.B.A. in business management from Texas A&M University, an M.B.A. in finance and marketing from Sam Houston State University, and an M.B.A. in economics from Texas A&M University-Texarkana. Counsil's professional experience includes being an economics professor, rancher, and business owner.
Show sources
Sources: WFAA, "Republican candidate for Ag Commissioner says political inexperience is an asset," January 16, 2022; YouTube, "Get to Know Carey Counsil," October 4, 2021; YouTube, "Protect Texas Farmland," September 10, 2021; Carey Counsil 2022 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed February 9, 2021; The Dallas Morning News, "Carey A. Counsil," accessed February 9, 2022; LinkedIn, "Carey Counsil," accessed February 9, 2022
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Texas House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2011)
Biography: White earned a B.A. in political science from Prairie View A&M University and a doctorate in political science from the University of Houston. After graduating from college, he served in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Berlin Brigade. Following his time in the Army, White was a public school teacher and coach.
Show sources
Sources: James White 2022 campaign website, "Home," accessed February 2, 2022; Twitter, "State Rep. James White on January 18, 2022," accessed February 2, 2022; YouTube, "Republican candidate for Ag Commissioner asks incumbent to suspend campaign," January 16, 2022; Texas House of Representatives, "Texas House Member: Rep. White, James," accessed February 2, 2022
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture in 2022.
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Sid Miller
Have a link to Miller's campaign ads? Email us.
Carey Counsil
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View more ads here:
James White
Have a link to White's campaign ads? Email us.
Endorsements
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates’ loan totals, if any, by clicking “View More” in the table below and learn more about this data here.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[14][15][16]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Noteworthy events
Miller political consultant indicted on theft and bribery charges (2022)
On January 18, 2022, Todd Smith, a political consultant to Miller, was indicted "on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for state hemp licenses that are doled out through Miller’s office."[17]
A judge in Travis County issued an arrest warrant for Smith in April 2021, and he was arrested and released on a personal bond in May.[18] According to The Texas Tribune, "Smith and others were accused of soliciting up to $150,000 to get an 'exclusive' hemp license from the Texas Department of Agriculture. ... A hemp license from the state costs $100, according to the arrest warrant."[17]
Smith's attorneys said, "We are disappointed that the Travis County District Attorney has obtained an indictment against Todd Smith, he was not invited to address the grand jury. He is not guilty of these charges and intends to vigorously defend himself against the allegations made by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office."[17]
On January 19, 2022, Miller said, "Todd Smith and I have mutually agreed to terminate his association with my campaign effective immediately. My campaign and the [Texas Department of Agriculture] will cooperate fully with any agency involved in this matter so it can be resolved openly, fairly and judiciously."[19]
According to the Texas Tribune's James Barragán, "[Miller] said he does not believe his former consultant did anything wrong and that the investigation is politically motivated. ... [He] also said his office made the cost of a hemp license clear and told stakeholders the department would not limit the number of licenses it would provide. He pushed that information in videos, on his website and on tours across the state, he said."[4]
Election context
Texas Agriculture Commissioner election history
The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.
2018
General election
General election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Sid Miller defeated Kim Olson and Richard Carpenter in the general election for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sid Miller (R) | 51.3 | 4,221,527 |
 | Kim Olson (D) | 46.4 | 3,822,137 | |
| Richard Carpenter (L) | 2.3 | 191,639 | ||
| Total votes: 8,235,303 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
Kim Olson advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Kim Olson |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture
Incumbent Sid Miller defeated Jim Hogan and Trey Blocker in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sid Miller | 55.7 | 755,498 |
 | Jim Hogan | 22.9 | 310,431 | |
 | Trey Blocker | 21.5 | 291,583 | |
| Total votes: 1,357,512 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
Republican Sid Miller won election on November 4, 2014.
| Texas Agriculture Commissioner, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Sid Miller |
58.6% | 2,698,694 | |
| Democrat | Jim Hogan | 36.8% | 1,697,083 | |
| Libertarian | Rocky Palmquist | 2.9% | 132,511 | |
| Green | Kenneth Kendrick | 1.7% | 77,548 | |
| Total Votes | 4,605,836 | |||
| Election results via Texas Secretary of State | ||||
State profile
| Demographic data for Texas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 27,429,639 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 261,232 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 74.9% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,207 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Texas
Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Texas, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[20]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Texas had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Texas
- United States congressional delegations from Texas
- Public policy in Texas
- Endorsers in Texas
- Texas fact checks
- More...
2022 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:
- New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022
- Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District election, 2022
- Texas' 28th Congressional District election, 2022 (March 1 Democratic primary)
- Texas' 37th Congressional District election, 2022 (March 1 Democratic primary)
- United States Senate election in Alaska, 2022 (August 16 top-four primary)
See also
| Texas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Texas Elections Division, "Texas Election Results: 2022 March 1st Republican Primary," accessed March 10, 2022
- ↑ Texas Department of Agriculture, "Agency Information," accessed February 14, 2022
- ↑ Save America, "Endorsement of Sid Miller," December 30, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Texas Tribune, "Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s challengers take aim at his ethics, relationship to indicted political aide," February 10, 2022
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Dallas Morning News, "Texas agriculture commissioner’s controversies, including 'Jesus Shot,' part of GOP primary race," January 7, 2022
- ↑ YouTube, "Texas Ag commissioner Sid Miller says opponents can’t get to his right," January 16, 2022
- ↑ WFAA, "Republican candidate for Ag Commissioner says political inexperience is an asset," January 16, 2022
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Dallas Morning News, "Our recommendation in the Republican primary for Agriculture Commissioner," February 8, 2022
- ↑ The Amarillo Pioneer, "Endorsement: Counsil Right Pick in GOP Primary for Agriculture Commissioner," February 4, 2022
- ↑ Twitter, "State Rep. James White on January 8, 2022," accessed February 3, 2022
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Houston Chronicle, "Editorial: We recommend Rep. James White in GOP primary for Agriculture Commissioner," January 23, 2022
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 San Antonio Express-News, "Editorial: White, Hays tower over the disgrace that is Miller," February 9, 2022
- ↑ Austin American-Statesman, "Editorial: White, Ireson strongest candidates for agriculture commissioner," February 23, 2022
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 The Texas Tribune, "Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s political consultant indicted on charges of theft, bribery in hemp license scheme," January 18, 2022
- ↑ Austin American-Statesman, "Top consultant for Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller charged with theft over hemp licenses," May 7, 2021
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Ag commissioner cuts ties with aide charged in hemp scheme," January 19, 2022
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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